Sights in Tenerife
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Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción
The city's oldest church, Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, has a striking bell tower, tiled roof and some traditional mudéjar (Islamic-style architecture) ceiling work. The present church was built in the 17th and 18th centuries but the original building went up in 1498, just after the island was conquered.
At the heart of the shimmering silver altar is the Santa Cruz de la Conquista (Holy Cross of the Conquest), which gives the city its name. Tradition has it that Alonso Fernández de Lugo, the Spanish commander, planted it in his camp to give thanks for his 1494 victory over the Guanches.
Check out the anteroom to the sacristy. The altarpiece in the chapel …
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Roque Cinchado
A few kilometres south of the peak, across from the parador, lies this geological freak show of twisted lava pinnacles with names like the Finger of God and the Cathedral. Known as the Roques de García, they are the result of erosion of old volcanic dykes, or vertical streams of magma. The hard rock of the dykes has been bared while surrounding earth and rock has been gradually swept away.
The weirdest of the rocks, the Roque Cinchado, is wearing away faster at the base than above, and one of these days is destined to topple over (so maybe you shouldn't get too close). Spreading out to the west are the otherworldly bald plains of the Llano de Ucanca. This is the most pop…
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Loro Parque
Where else can you see 3000 parrots (the world's largest collection) all in one place? Loro Parque is home to 340 species of parrots along with other exotic animals, including tigers, gorillas and chimpanzees. Unless you object in principle to wild animals in captivity, the park is quite impressive. Don't miss the dolphin and whale shows, the subterranean aquarium with the world's longest submarine tunnel and the vast 'penguinarium'.
You could walk here from town, but it's much easier to hop on the free train that leaves every 20 minutes from outside McDonalds on Plaza Reyes Católicos.
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Pico Viejo
With a name meaning 'old peak', Pico Viejo is the last of Tenerife's volcanoes to have erupted on a grand scale. In 1798, its southwestern flank tore open, leaving a 700m gash. Today you can clearly see where fragments of magma shot over 1km into the air and fell pell-mell. Torrents of lava gushed from a secondary, lower wound to congeal on the slopes. To this day, not a blade of grass or a stain of lichen has returned to the arid slope.
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Montaña Amarilla
Wind and water have carved the dramatic rock formations of Montaña Amarilla, a volcanic mound on the coast outside town. To get here, take Avenida Jose Antonio Tavio (beside the Ten Bel complex) down to Calle Chasna. At the end of the street is a small car park and a path leading you down to the water. You can ramble across the rocks, enjoying a building-free view of the coast, or hike around the montaña.
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Museo de la Ciencia y el Cosmos
If you enjoy pushing buttons and musing on the forces of nature, you can have fun at the Museo de la Ciencia y el Cosmos, even if you don't speak Spanish. About 1.5km south of Plaza Adelantado, it also has a planetarium, so you can stargaze during the day. A good choice for those wanting to have their children stimulated by something other than yet another sugary ice cream.
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Museo Militar de Almeyda
Museo Militar de Almeyda explains the military history of the islands. The most famous item here is El Tigre (The Tiger), the cannon that reputedly blew off Admiral Nelson's arm when he attacked Santa Cruz in 1797. Much of the museum is devoted to the successful defence of the city, brought alive by a superb 30m scale model of the flagship Theseus.
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Museo de la Naturaleza y El Hombre
Museo de la Naturaleza y El Hombre is a brain-bending amalgam of natural science and archaeology in a former civil hospital. It has several fascinating Guanche mummies and skulls, a handful of artefacts, including pottery, and well-presented facts and figures about volcanoes and the flora and fauna of the islands. There's also a café and gift shop.
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Parque Nacional Del Teide
Covering 18,990 hectares, the Teide is Spain's most popular national park, with a whopping four million visitors a year. The landscape, while not beautiful in a traditional sense, is fascinating, containing more than 80% of the world's volcanic formations. The park protects nearly 1000 Guanche archaeological sites, many of which are still unexplored.
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Lago Martiánez
Designed by Canario César Manrique, the watery playground of Lago Martiánez, northeast of the centre, has four saltwater pools and a large central 'lake'. It can get just as crowded as the surrounding small volcanic beaches. Swim, sunbathe or grab a bite at one of the many restaurants and bars. There's a glittery new casino here, as well.
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Liceo de Taoro
The palatial 1928 Liceo de Taoro building is a private cultural society, but open to the public. An attractive terraced garden separates the mansion from the street and, although the building looks a tad foreboding, you can enter and have a drink at the café, a meal at the restaurant or check out any exhibitions that may be taking place.
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Loro Parque
Loro Parque the self-declared 'must' of the Canaries, is home to 340 species of parrots along with other exotic animals. Unless you object in principle to wild animals in captivity, the park is really quite impressive. Don't miss the dolphin and parrot shows, the aquarium with 15,000 aquatic animals, and the world's largest 'penguinarium'.
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Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción was the island's first church - constructed in 1502 - and has subsequently undergone many changes. Elements of Gothic and plateresque styles can still be distinguished and the finely wrought wooden mudéjar ceilings are a delight. Climb the tower for stunning rooftop views.
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Museo de la Historia de Tenerife
The documents, maps, artefacts and descriptions are interesting enough at the Museo de la Historia de Tenerife but the 16th-century mansion itself is noteworthy, having benefited from an effective and tasteful renovation. Note the brickwork, which features Renaissance designs, on either side of the stone portico at the museum's entrance.
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Drago Park
Past Plaza Constitución (aka Plaza Pila), a square with historic Canary homes, is Drago Park, where you can pay to get up close to the famous tree, which has supposedly been here for more than 1000 years. Fax ahead to request a guided tour. The best view, however, is the free one from the west wall of the Plaza de la Inglesia.
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Castillo de San Juan
A short walk along the waterfront southwest of the city brings you to the 17th-century Castillo de San Juan. In the shadow of this protective fort there used to be a lively trade in African slaves. Nowadays its squat, rectangular basalt form is overshadowed by the magnificent, soaring white wave of the Auditorio de Tenerife.
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Auditorio de Tenerife
Designed by the internationally renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and possessing a Sydney Opera House presence, as well as superb acoustics, the Auditorio de Tenerife covers and significantly enhances a 2 hectare oceanfront site. The auditorium hosts opera, dance and classical-music performances, among others.
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Pico del Teide
The cable car provides the easiest, most popular and most expensive way to get up to the peak of El Teide. On clear days the volcanic valley spreads out majestically below, and you can see the islands of La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro peeking up from the Atlantic. It takes just eight minutes to zip up 1200m (3937ft).
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Museo Chillida Leku
This open-air museum is the most engaging museum in rural Basque Country. Amid the beech, oak and magnolia trees, you'll find 40 sculptures of granite and iron created by the renowned Basque sculptor Eduardo Chillida. Many more of Chillida's works appear inside the renovated 16th-century farmhouse.
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Museo de Cerámica
Boasts the largest clay-pot collection in Spain. The museum is well laid out, and there are detailed explanations in several languages. The sheer size of the pots in the Sala de Vino are impressive, and the sepia photos are fun, but after a few dozen pots or so, there is a certain sameness about the place.
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Museo Arqueológico
The Museo Arqueológico provides an insight into the Guanche way of life with its replicas of a typical cave dwelling, as well as a burial cave where pots and baked-clay adornments share the same burial area, demonstrating the Guanches' belief in an afterlife.
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Calle Carrera 66
Calle San Agustín and the surrounding streets are lined with fine old houses. The distinctive blue façade of Calle Carrera 66 is the former home of surrealist painter Oscar Dominguez. Check out the window framed with a giant sardine-tin sculpture!
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Teatro Guimerá
Three blocks southwest of Calle Castillo is the 19th-century Teatro Guimerá, fronted by a suitably theatrical giant mask sculpture. The sumptuous interior is reminiscent of Madrid's Teatro Real, with semicircular balconied seating and plenty of gilt.
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Santuario del Cristo
At the northern end of the old quarter, the Santuario del Cristo contains a blackened wooden sculpture of Christ - the most venerated crucifix on the island. Be as respectful as possible inside, as most of the people here are praying, not sightseeing.
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Plaza Iglesia
The formerly seedy Plaza Iglesia has been tarted up and is now home to a couple of fashionable bars and brightly painted buildings. Look for the striking bell tower of the city's oldest church, the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción.
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